A Full Bolt of Unusued Arimatsu Shibori: Pre-war

This gorgeous, unused bolt of indigo dyed cotton shibori is displayed with its original label and it is still stitched closed as it was when it was made. The right-to-left reading of the kanji on the label tells us that this tanmono was made prior to World War II.

A standard Japanese bolt of cloth which is long enough to make one kimono is generally measured at 12 meters or about 13 yards. This bolt has never been opened or unsealed, so we must imagine that its length is similar to this standard.

The cloth shows miura shibori amid what appears to be swirling, brook-like shapes drawn with nui or stitched shibori, very cooling to the eye. Again, as this bolt has not been opened, its actual repeat is not able to be seen very well, nor can the condition of the cloth tucked inside the bolt be ascertained.

A simply marvelous and covetable object, and one very rare to find in such seemingly good condition.